


Twenty- fourth story, “Too much food.”

by satans_dolly_boy666



Series: Tony Stark & Peter Parker duo Prompts OR Spiderman stories and ocasionally the appearance of Tony and the avengers [25]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Anorexia, Avengers Family, Bad Spelling & Grammar, Dysfunctional Family, Eating, Eating Disorders, Family Fluff, Family Issues, Money, No Beta, Other, POV Peter Parker, POV Tony Stark, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Post-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Avengers, Protective Natasha Romanov, Protective Tony Stark, Secrets, Short One Shot, Starving, Team as Family, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, money issues, no beta we die like men, restrictive anorexia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2020-07-19 09:17:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19971661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/satans_dolly_boy666/pseuds/satans_dolly_boy666
Summary: "It didn't take me long to notice that I started losing weight. I could literally count my ribs, the bones of my wrists and shoulders began to pop out, a bizarre stomach, with a combination of muscles and an extremely flatness, or my legs, once strong and muscular, now separated by a space between them."......................................................................Prompt  #23: "Peter is starving"OR"Peter doesn't want to be a burden to May."





	Twenty- fourth story, “Too much food.”

**Author's Note:**

> Since I was twelve years old, I got diagnosed with restrictive anorexia nervosa. Today, at the age of twenty-four, I am still stuck with the same problem. I eat, but I still have bad days. In this story, Peter reminds me of myself, only that the poor child does it with good intentions to help, not with my intention to die of starvation (literally.)

The kid never complains. Well, sometimes he does, but it's usually when it involves his work as a superhero and with my patience included. Peter is one of those boys you rarely find; he's a bit silly but at the same time he’s too smart, he's always cheerful but he also has his tantrums and he's too polite for his age and for my liking too.

After the Vulture incident, our relationship changed all over; the boy started spending more time with me as an "intern," doing experiments and mathematical calculations at the lab although I admit I have also spoiled the kid with movie nights and snacks. But I'm not the only one who has gotten close to the teen since the group of asshol- I mean, the Avengers - they spent many dinners with the young Parker. The kid's friendly and bright, with a captivating personality; I don't blame them for stealing the boy from me.

**I have no complaints about him; Peter Parker is undoubtedly a brilliant boy in every sense of the word.**

I find it hard to admit, and I would never say it out loud, but I care about him; I know he is capable of taking care of himself, I won't pretend that I didn't bring him to Germany to fight a group of rebels with huge powers and skills, thank you very much. It's hard for me to think that I'm a role model now, maybe... a father role? that would be the most logical conclusion, but the word _"father"_ tastes sour in my mouth. Personal experiences, I won't dwell on that. However, this time I think I have some good reasons to be concerned.

Peter began to change.

First and foremost, his physical appearance, before of a healthy and strong teenager, is now just the opposite; his hair is no longer sparkling, his eyes look dull and tired, he has plenty of dark bags, his skin is too pale and almost greyish and I feel that he has lost weight; then, his attitude. He doesn't seem motivated, his smiles are fake or unwilling, he sighs all the time, he seems to be absorbed by his own thoughts and most worrisome, he doesn't eat or talk as often as before.

The rest also noticed the same characteristics, but every time we ask him about it, the kid just answers, _"I'm fine."_

* * *

I owe a lot to my aunt May; first, she was forced to be some kind of mother because of me. After Uncle Ben's death, she made an effort so that I would never be deprived of anything, neither food nor clothes or school supplies. When I got my powers, my metabolism went crazy; every two hours I feel hungry and I never seem to be satisfied. It's annoying. And I started to be a nuisance too. You see, my aunt earns a wage that covers just the necessary expenses of our day-to-day life; whether it's food, the rent, gas and electricity, and that's it. For that reason, I decided to do something about it; it's not fair to give her more problems just because my body demands me to overeat.

I started by making excuses; _"I'll eat at Ned's", "Mr Stark bought me a cheeseburger beforehand", "I'm not hungry", "I'll eat later", "I'm too tired, I'd better go to sleep", "I have a stomach ache"_ and many other excuses.

I also decided to start working; apart-time job, no big deal. Then with the salary earned, I would at least buy snacks from time to time, although I actually decided to save for the birthdays of the important people around me.

It's hard to be a student, a worker and a masked vigilante at the same time.

But it's all for May.

It didn't take me long to notice that I started losing weight. I could literally count my ribs, the bones of my wrists and shoulders began to pop out, a bizarre stomach, with a combination of muscles and an extremely flatness, or my legs, once strong and muscular, now separated by a space between them.

_"It's okay,"_ I said to myself, _"nothing that a little more clothing can't fix."_

* * *

_"Today there will be a mix! Pizza, Chinese food, Thai and more junk food. Don't worry, I won't deduct it from your wages."_ Today is one of those nights in which it’s a group dinner, that is, dinner with the Avengers. Of course, Peter is more than included.

I wanted to think that everything is fine, that maybe I'm thinking too much.

Well, silly of me.

The food was ready and it didn't take us more than two seconds to start devouring it. I watched as everyone was enjoying their meal without the need for etiquette and fine table manners. But Peter only dared to eat two slices of pizza and lots, lots of water.

So I dared to ask, _“Kid, aren't you going to eat more? Are you on a diet or something?”, “Um, no, I'm just-- I'm not very hungry.”_ He said. _"That's what you told me last week. Does this happen to you a lot, not being hungry?"_ And he didn't say anything; he just started fidgeting with his hands while avoiding my eyes. Then Bruce also spoke with a professional medical tone, _"Peter, you know your metabolism matches Steve's, it's impossible to be healthy to eat so little when your body demands so many calories per day.” "Ye-yeah, I know."_

“ _Паук, you've lost **a lot** of weight."_ Natasha fulminated him with a look, but it was also clear that she was worried as to the way a mother would be.

It all happened all of a sudden. Thor is a brute, nobody denies that, but I think this is the first time we appreciate that. _"Boy of the spiders! If you want to be strong and big like Thor, you must eat like Thor!"_ said the Viking dude, while holding the young Parker from behind, lifting his body and raising his shirt at the same time.

In shock; we were all stunned. We knew two things, one, Peter wore more than one item under his jacket, and two, Peter was extremely skinny.

* * *

This is the moment I want to kill myself. I'm not joking, why do things always happen to me? It was supposed to be a peaceful night but no, bad luck is on my side again. I don't like to be questioned, that's why when they started talking about metabolism, weight, general nutrition, I started to feel uncomfortable. It's not like I could say _, "yes, you know, thank you for your concern but the thing is that I'm stopping eating because we can't afford to get enough money to satisfy my body. Oh, but it’s okay, I eat some snacks every three or four days anyway,"_ of course not.

But the worst happened when Thor revealed my stomach; I felt sick and disgusted. What excuses would I make now?

* * *

_“What the fuc-“_

_“Oi, language.”_

_“Shut up, Steve. It´s not the moment. Look at the kid, he´s a fucking skeleton.”_

_“Peter, you're not eating properly.”_ but Bucky wasn't asking, he was stating it.

But the kid didn't say a word the whole time.

_“Peter! Talk now! Why aren't you eating? Don't tell me some stupid thing about not being hungry because this time I won't believe it."_ Oh, shit. I started shouting, and to shout reminded me of my own father. I couldn't help it, the worry combined with little patience isn't good.

I could hear to Bruce saying, _"Tony, calm down,"_ but I couldn't calm down. The kid, **my boy** , was all bones. For the first time, I understood the so-called “parental concern.“

The teen remained speechless and seemed at the verge of tears but then Natasha spoke.

_“Паук, look at me; that´s right, here. Now, Peter, do you have… an eating disorder? Don’t be afraid to tell us.”_ It's incredible how Natasha could be a super frightening and hard-core woman to become a lovely and compassionate mother who doesn't break a plate. But whatever she's doing, she's doing better than me and it works.

_"It's not that... I don't have any kind of disorder. It's just-I mean- I don't know how to explain it. It's to help May, I swear! I don't do it because I want to and actually, it's not a big deal because I can handle it and-“_

_“Slow down, Паук. What necessarily is helping your aunt? I don't understand.”_

_“Money. I mean, I guess... I'm not eating as I did before to help her not to over-spend?”_

We were shocked again, only this time we all said together with a loud and painful _"what?"_

Can you believe the kid? Because I don't; though it's something Peter Parker would do. Think about it, he fights crime to save the most vulnerable ones and he doesn't ask anything in return, not fame or money. He's a good boy, but that kindness can play against him as well.

Then he told us the whole truth. That he started eating smaller portions and that he was able to trick his aunt with excuses. The worst of it all? They were the same excuses he sometimes told me. I felt insulted but also dumb for not noticing. I should have realized.

_“...but I could get a part-time job and..."_ from there, I saw red. It's okay that we all want to be independent and to have our own money, but Peter, this incredible good boy, only worked to relieve some of his hunger and to save for the coming birthdays? Really? I never wanted so much to hang and hug him at the same time.

**I didn't think twice, if I could no longer deny that Peter is like a son to me, then I will take care of his wellbeing whether he likes it or not.**

* * *

* * *

* * *

****

_ **Cr: peyoberry** _

**Author's Note:**

> It was hard for me to write this. It is too short and maybe with a lot of grammar inaccuracies, but I even refused to finish it. For that very reason, do not wait for a second part.


End file.
